Friends and ADHD

• I didn’t tell anyone I took medication
• It’s not a big deal
• At first I didn’t tell anybody
• Just go take your medicine
• It puts me in the zone
• More outgoing with my friends

I didn’t tell anyone I took medication

I didn’t tell anyone I was taking medication because I thought it was kind of embarrassing.  I knew other kids that took it and it wasn’t a big deal.  It was like all the rage to have it back then; it was like almost a cool thing to have.  But for some reason, I didn’t want anyone else to know that I was taking medicine for ADHD.

–Will, 23

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It’s not a big deal

It’s just something my friends know about.  It’s not a big deal.  I’m not one of those extreme cases who is bouncing off the wall or always tapping a pencil or shaking and moving around.  I just have trouble focusing.  When everyone else is paying attention and I’m not it’s just not noticeable.  It hasn’t affected any type of relationship.

–Julie, 18

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At first I didn’t tell anybody

At first I didn’t tell anybody.  I kind of kept it to myself, took my medicine in the morning and went to school and laid low.  I heard people talk about medications and stuff like that but I didn’t really tell anybody.  Now, I’m real open about it.

–James, 18

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Just go take your medicine

Still sometimes if I’m not taking my medicine or whatever my friends will get annoyed because I’ll interrupt or I’ll just go ahead and speak.  Sometimes they are like, “just go take your medicine.”

-Megan, 20

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It puts me in the zone

Well I’m a lot more easily distracted when I’m not on my medication than my friends are.  But, when I am on it’s pretty much the same.  It puts me in the zone.  A lot of my school friends are really studious and get really good grades and they just focus, focus, focus all day.  The medicine I take puts me toward their level.  It would be harder for me if I didn’t take the medicine because I would be a little more spaced out with my head in the clouds.

-Julie, 18

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More outgoing with my friends

When I’m with my friends hanging out, I’m more outgoing.  I really don’t care, because I know they’re my friends and they’re laughing with me, not at me.  For people I don’t really know that well, I’m mostly quiet.

– Megan, 20

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